"You have allowed this difficult and painful season to make your heart more beautiful. Your character reveals His character. Ruth was known by her generosity, loyalty and faithfulness. Her character was known how she took care of her Mother-in-law and how she worked hard to bless her and honor Naomi. Your fragrance is sweet by His Holy Spirit. Your pain did NOT make you bitter....But it did make you BETTER. For His glory and purpose."
"I got two choices, both require pain
One’s the pain of change and the pain of staying the same
One of ‘em leads to joy, other one leads to shame
One of ‘em leads to freedom, the other keeps me in chains" -Andy Mineo, Tug of War
Change of character?
Isaiah 66:2
2.I have made all these things.
"That is why all these things have come into being," declares the Lord.
I will pay attention to those who are humble and sorry for their sins and who tremble at my word.
God gives specific examples of character qualities He looks for and his people. For example, He wants his people to be humble, sorry for their sins, and respectful of his word. In Isaiah 66:2, God specifically told Isaiah that these were character qualities he was looking for and every person. These characteristics keep our attention on God and not ourselves.
Isaiah 66:3-4
"3....People have certainly chosen their own ways and their souls delight in detestable things.
4.So I will choose harsh treatment for them and bring on them what they fear. I called, but no one answered. I spoke, but they didn't listen. They did what I considered evil. they chose what I don't like.
Living in the world we do now, no one really talks about being obedient to the Lord. Most of us choose our own way of living and forget that our way of living will mold our character. So my questions for you is, who are letting mold you? Yourself? Or the One who made you?
Isaiah 66:7-9
7. Before a woman goes into labor, she gives birth.before she has labor pains she delivers a child.
8.Who has heard of such thing? Who has seen such things? Can a country be born in one day? Can a nation be born in a moment? When Zion went into labor, she also gave birth to her children.
9."Do I bring a mother to the moment of birth and not let her deliver?" asks the Lord . "Do I cause a mother to deliver and then make her unable to have children?" asks your God.
Let's face it! Change hurts. Yes even letting God mold our character. He's cleaning out everything that is not of him. Look at it as when a diamond is being formed. It wasn't just found shaped like that was it? No. Everything that wasn't a diamond had to be chipped off. Just as the Lord breaks off every thing that is not of him. It can be a painful process but the result is beautiful. In Isaiah the Lord gives an illustration of a mother giving birth. Yes she is in a lot of pain, but the end result is beautiful because she has her child in her arms.
Don't hesitate on letting the Lord work on your character. Remember what he told Isaiah and the characteristics he's looking for.
